Cardington Road is in Bedford and in Bedford district. MK42 0BQ is located in the Kingsbrook electoral ward, within the English Parliamentary constituency of Bedford. This postcode has been in use since 1981-09-01.
StreetScan combines information about Cardington Road, Bedford, MK42 0BQ and displays a report on the quality of life in this place and its surroundings.
Nearby postcodes are: MK42 0EU, MK42 0DY, MK42 0HA, MK42 0BT, MK42 0BH, MK42 0ET, MK42 0NW, MK42 0EA, MK42 0DX.
In the UK, the overall gender distribution is approximately 49% male and 51% female. The area surrounding MK42 0BQ has a slightly higher male population, with 50% of residents being male. Several factors can contribute to this, including areas with industries or sectors that predominantly employ men, proximity to universities or technical schools with a higher enrollment of male students, presence of all-male or predominantly male institutions (military academies, boarding schools).
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Female | 50.9% | 50% | -0.9% | 51.0% | -1.0% |
| Male | 49.1% | 50% | 0.9% | 49.0% | 1.0% |
Across the UK, the average relationship status breakdown is roughly 44% married, 38% single, 9% divorced, 6% widowed, and 2% separated.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single | 33.3% | 37.1% | 3.8% | 37.9% | -0.8% |
| Married: Opposite sex | 43.9% | 38.2% | -5.7% | 44.2% | -6.0% |
| Separated | 2% | 4.6% | 2.6% | 2.2% | 2.4% |
| Divorced | 13.8% | 14.1% | 0.3% | 9.1% | 5.0% |
| Widowed | 6.9% | 6% | -0.9% | 6.1% | -0.1% |
Across the UK, the average 48.4% rated their health as Very Good, 33.6% as Good, 12.7% as Fair, 4% as Bad, and 1.2% as Very Bad.
Population age significantly impacts residents' health. Additionally, socioeconomic status plays a crucial role: higher income levels and lower poverty rates are linked to better health outcomes. Affluent areas benefit from higher living standards, access to private healthcare, and healthier lifestyle choices.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Very good health | 45.9% | 43.9% | -2.0% | 48.4% | -4.5% |
| Good health | 34.9% | 38.6% | 3.7% | 33.6% | 5.0% |
| Fair health | 13.2% | 11.1% | -2.1% | 12.7% | -1.6% |
| Bad health | 6% | 5% | -1.0% | 4.0% | 1.0% |
| Very bad health | 0% | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1.2% | 0.1% |
During the 2021 census, the educational qualifications of residents across the UK were as follows: 18.2% had no qualifications, 9.6% had 1-4 GCSEs, 13.4% had 5 or more GCSEs and 1-2 A/AS Levels, 16.9% had 2 or more A Levels, 33.8% held a degree (or equivalent), and 5.4% had completed an apprenticeship.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No qualifications | 29.3% | 25.6% | -3.7% | 18.2% | 7.4% |
| 1-4 GCSEs or Equivalent | 15.4% | 14.7% | -0.7% | 9.6% | 5.1% |
| 5 or more GCSEs, an A-Level or 1-2 AS Levels | 10.2% | 11.6% | 1.4% | 13.4% | -1.8% |
| Apprenticeship | 4.5% | 7% | 2.5% | 5.3% | 1.7% |
| HNC, HND or 2+ A Levels | 7.3% | 14.7% | 7.4% | 16.9% | -2.2% |
| Degree or Similar | 15.4% | 24.2% | 8.8% | 33.8% | -9.6% |
| Other | 17.9% | 2.1% | -15.8% | 2.8% | -0.7% |
In this area, the population is more ethnically diverse compared to the UK average. While 68.6% of the residents identify as white, which is lower than the UK average of 81.4%, there are significant representations of other ethnic groups.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bangladeshi | 7.2% | 5% | -2.2% | 1.1% | 3.9% |
| Chinese | 0.9% | 0.3% | -0.6% | 0.7% | -0.4% |
| Indian | 0.9% | 3.7% | 2.8% | 3.1% | 0.6% |
| Pakistani | 1.6% | 1.8% | 0.2% | 2.7% | -0.9% |
| Other Asian | 1.3% | 2.6% | 1.3% | 1.6% | 1.0% |
| Black African | 7.5% | 5% | -2.5% | 2.5% | 2.5% |
| Black Caribbean | 2.8% | 1.8% | -1.0% | 1.0% | 0.8% |
| Other Black | 0.3% | 1.3% | 1.0% | 0.5% | 0.8% |
| Mixed White and Asian | 1.3% | 0% | -1.3% | 0.8% | -0.8% |
| Mixed White and African | 0% | 2.1% | 2.1% | 0.4% | 1.7% |
| Mixed White and Caribbean | 0.9% | 1.3% | 0.4% | 0.9% | 0.4% |
| Mixed Other | 0% | 1.3% | 1.3% | 0.8% | 0.5% |
| White | 73.3% | 68.6% | -4.7% | 81.4% | -12.8% |
| Roma | 0% | 1.8% | 1.8% | 0.2% | 1.6% |
| Arab | 1.9% | 0.3% | -1.6% | 0.6% | -0.3% |
| Other | 0% | 2.9% | 2.9% | 1.6% | 1.3% |
In this area, 54.9% of the population were born in the United Kingdom, which is lower than the UK average of 83.2%.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 62.6% | 54.9% | -7.7% | 83.2% | -28.3% |
| European Union | 19.2% | 27.2% | 8.0% | 6.1% | 21.1% |
| Rest of Europe | 0.6% | 1.8% | 1.2% | 0.8% | 1.0% |
| Africa | 7.9% | 4% | -3.9% | 2.7% | 1.3% |
| Middle East and Asia | 7.5% | 9% | 1.5% | 5.6% | 3.4% |
| The Americas and the Caribbean | 2.2% | 3.2% | 1.0% | 1.3% | 1.9% |
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born in the UK | 60.7% | 55% | -5.7% | 83.2% | -28.2% |
| 10+ Years | 5.7% | 22.8% | 17.1% | 9.8% | 13.0% |
| 5-10 Years | 11.3% | 10.3% | -1.0% | 2.9% | 7.4% |
| 2-5 Years | 9.4% | 8.5% | -0.9% | 2.2% | 6.3% |
| Less than 2 years | 12.9% | 3.4% | -9.5% | 1.9% | 1.5% |
| 2021 | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 45.3% | 76.7% | -31.4% |
| Ireland | 0.5% | 0.6% | -0.1% |
| Germany | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| Italy | 2.1% | 0.6% | 1.5% |
| Lithuania | 1.6% | 0.3% | 1.3% |
| Poland | 13.7% | 1.3% | 12.4% |
| Romania | 10% | 0.9% | 9.1% |
| Other EU countries | 3.9% | 1.5% | 2.4% |
| Other Europe | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| North Africa | 0.3% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| Central and Western Africa | 0.8% | 0.3% | 0.5% |
| South and Eastern Africa | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| Eastern Asia | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.0% |
| Southern Asia | 3.7% | 1.2% | 2.5% |
| North America and the Caribbean | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.0% |
| Central and South America | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| No passport held | 16.6% | 13.5% | 3.1% |
| 2021 | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No religion | 21.7% | 37.2% | -15.5% |
| Christian | 55% | 46.2% | 8.8% |
| Buddhist | 0.3% | 0.5% | -0.2% |
| Hindu | 0.8% | 1.7% | -0.9% |
| Jewish | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.0% |
| Muslim | 11.9% | 6.5% | 5.4% |
| Sikh | 2.1% | 0.9% | 1.2% |
| Other religion | 0.3% | 0.6% | -0.3% |
| Not answered | 7.4% | 6.0% | 1.4% |
Over the last 12 months, the overall crime rate around Cardington Road was 116.9 per 1,000 residents, which is 24.5% lower than the Cauldwell average. The most reported crime type was Shoplifting.
Cardington Road has the 35th highest crime rate of 82 local areas in Cauldwell and the 119th highest crime rate of 543 local areas in Bedford .
Violent and sexual offences accounted for around 29.9 crimes per 1,000 residents and have been falling year on year. Over the last decade, overall crime has fallen by about -66.0%.

Households in this area have a similar level of wealth to the average household in England and Wales. 58% of analyzed areas in England and Wales have higher average household annual income than this area.

| Address | Sale Price | Sale Date | Price Estimate 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 69 Cardington Road, Bedford, Bedford Other, an established residential building | £1,050,000 | 2017-12-01 | £1,158,500 |
MK42 0BQ area has a very high level of entrepreneurship. Only 15% of streets have higher percent of entrepreneur residents. 13% of population in this area is self-employed, while the average in the UK is 9.7%. High number of entrepreneurs usually leads to relatively high economic growth, higher paid jobs and better quality of life in the area.
| Full-Time Employee | 90 |
| Retired | 40 |
| Self-Employed | 39 |
| Part-Time Employee | 36 |
| Looking after home or family | 25 |
| Student (economically inactive) | 16 |
| Other | 14 |
| Long-Term Sick or disabled | 12 |
| Unemployed | 11 |
| Full-Time Student (with or without job) | 6 |
| Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motor cycles | 35 |
| Manufacturing | 18 |
| Human health and social work activities | 17 |
| Construction | 13 |
| Administrative and support service activities | 11 |
| Accommodation and food service activities | 9 |
| Education | 7 |
| Other | 7 |
| Professional, scientific and technical activities | 6 |
| Transport and storage | 5 |
| Financial and insurance activities | 3 |
| Agriculture, forestry and fishing | 1 |
| Public administration and defence; compulsory social security | 1 |
| Information and communication | 1 |
| Water supply; sewerage, waste management and remediation activities | 1 |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southway Nursery School Ampthill Road , MK42 9HE | - not rated | 837 yd | Local authority nursery school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Cherry Trees Nursery School Hawkins Road , MK42 9LS | 4out of 4 | 848 yd | Local authority nursery school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Peter Pan Nursery School Edward Road , MK42 9DR | 4out of 4 | 1,286 yd | Local authority nursery school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shackleton Primary School Pearcey Road , MK42 9LZ | 3out of 4 | 817 yd | Academy converter | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Shackleton Primary School Pearcey Road , MK42 9LZ | - not rated | 817 yd | Community school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Raleigh School Ampthill Road , MK42 9HE | - not rated | 845 yd | Community school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| King's Oak Primary School Oak Road , MK42 0HH | 3out of 4 | 1,095 yd | Community school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Castle Newnham School Goldington Road , MK40 3EP | - not rated | 1,175 yd | Foundation school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bedford Free School Cauldwell Street , MK42 9AD | 4out of 4 | 703 yd | Free schools | No | Mixed | More About School |
| John Bunyan School Mile Road , MK42 9TR | - not rated | 1,467 yd | Community school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Bedford Academy Mile Road , MK42 9TR | 3out of 4 | 1,478 yd | Academy sponsor led | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Castle Newnham School Polhill Avenue , MK41 9DT | 3out of 4 | 1,942 yd | Academy converter | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Castle Newnham School Polhill Avenue , MK41 9DT | - not rated | 1,942 yd | Foundation school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Silver Jubilee Middle School Acacia Road , MK42 0HU | - not rated | 697 yd | Community school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Kingsbrook Middle School Oak Road , MK42 0HH | - not rated | 1,049 yd | Community school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Harrowden Middle School Oak Road , MK42 0HH | - not rated | 1,049 yd | Community school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| St Bede's RC Middle School 112 Bromham Road , MK40 2QR | - not rated | 1,799 yd | Voluntary aided school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Abbey Middle School Mowbray Road , MK42 9XA | - not rated | 1,871 yd | Community school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bedford College Cauldwell Street , MK42 9AH | - not rated | 823 yd | Further education | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bedford Girls' School Cardington Road , MK42 0BX | - not rated | 356 yd | Other independent school | No | Girls | More About School |
| Raleigh Education Centre Raleigh and Southway Centre , Ampthill Road MK42 9HE | - not rated | 837 yd | Pupil referral unit | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| E-Spired Centre of Excellence The Raleigh Centre , Ampthill Road MK42 9HE | - not rated | 845 yd | Other independent school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Teaching Service for Excluded Pupils 2nd Floor, Riverside Suite , County Hall MK42 9AP | - not rated | 962 yd | Miscellaneous | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Bedford School De Parys Avenue , MK40 2TU | - not rated | 1,401 yd | Other independent school | No | Boys | More About School |
School statistics for this postcode are based on Ofsted rankings.
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Costa Ltd | Unit 10, St Johns Centre, Rope Walk | 158 yd | |
| Caffe Pausa at Dunelm | 4 London Road | 286 yd | |
| London Peri Peri Grill | 34c London Road | 411 yd | |
| Starbucks Coffee Company | 66 St Johns Street | 424 yd | |
| The Longholme | Cafe At Boating Lake, Longholme Way | 449 yd |
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bedford Rowing Club | Bedford Rowing Club, Duckmill Lane | 674 yd | |
| Kings Arms PH | The Kings Arms, 24 St Marys Street | 688 yd | |
| The Rose | The Rose, 45 High Street | 847 yd | |
| Gordon Arms | The Gordon Arms, 118 Castle Road | 860 yd | |
| The Castle | The Castle, 17 Newnham Street | 891 yd |
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sultan’s | 67 Fenlake Road | 121 yd | |
| Wraps To Go | 12a Fenlake Road Industrial Estate | 156 yd | |
| Subway | Pod A, London Road | 286 yd | |
| Golden Fish Bar | 26 London Road | 411 yd | |
| Pizza Hut | 24 London Road | 411 yd |
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tesco | Tesco, Cardington Road | 510 yd | |
| Farmfoods | Farm Foods, 4-6 Kingsway | 689 yd | |
| Tesco | 63 High Street | 959 yd |
| Facility Name | Sport Objects | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| The Gym (Bedford) London Road | health and fitness suite | 282 yd |
| Bedford Girls School CARDINGTON ROAD | artificial grass pitch, grass pitches, health and fitness suite, swimming pool | 361 yd |
| Russell Park PEMBROKE STREET | grass pitches, tennis courts | 698 yd |
| Bedford Free School CAULDWELL HOUSE CAULDWELL HOUSE CAULDWELL STREET | 699 yd | |
| Oasis Beach Pool CARDINGTON ROAD | health and fitness suite, swimming pool | 729 yd |
| Pace Health Club (Bedford) (Closed) St. Marys Street | health and fitness suite | 734 yd |
| Bedford College CAULDWELL STREET | health and fitness suite | 864 yd |
| Bunyan Meeting Church MILL STREET | 895 yd | |
| Fitness First Health Club (Bedford) ASPECTS LEISURE CENTRE ASPECTS LEISURE CENTRE NEWNHAM AVENUE | health and fitness suite, swimming pool | 1,016 yd |
| Harrowden Middle School (Closed) Oak Road | grass pitches | 1,057 yd |
This statistics are based on Active Places Data - Contains Data © Sport England
Broadband statistics are based on Ofcom's Communications Market Report (CMR) 2022.